The UN’s food agency said it urgently needs $50 million (€37 million) to plug a funding gap for projects in the Horn of Africa tackling hunger in the drought-affected region.

“The international community needs to continue to support the most vulnerable households to cope with another possible dry spell,” said Castro Camarada from the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).

The funds are needed for “priority agricultural and pastoral activities that must be carried out in the Horn of Africa before and during the next planting season which coincides with the rainy season from April to June,” the FAO said.

Experts are concerned there will be less rain than normal this season. According to FAO, although the situation in the areas of the Horn of Africa affected by drought has improved in recent months, there are an estimated 8.1 million people still in need of assistance.

“Urgent activities planned in the region include distributing crop and vegetable seeds, helping implement small-scale irrigation schemes and running cash-for-work activities to restore vital agricultural infrastructure,” it said.

While the famine which hit war-torn Somalia was declared over in February, nearly a third of the population – over 2.5 million people – remain in crisis and are “unable to fully meet essential food and non-food needs”, FAO said.

“Starting in April, FAO is planning a massive distribution of maize, sorghum and sesame seeds as well as fertilisers to ensure that Somali farmers are able to take full advantage of the next cropping season.”

The Rome-based agency head Jose Graziano da Silva said: “We can’t avoid droughts, but we can put measures in place to try to prevent them from becoming a famine.”